The Time of Our Lives
by Sourlips1983
Summary: Jess reminisces about her life. This is my Secret Santa gift for theawkwardanglophile. Merry Christmas
1. About three years later

Jess lay in bed flipping through a magazine with her feet propped up and her head raised high on a cloud of pillows.

"Nick, can you come help me?" Jess complained as she failed to readjust herself. The swell of her bump was making even the most effortless tasks more difficult these days.

"Hey honey." Nick smiled as he rounded the bedroom door struggling with the big flat screen from the living room. "Is everything ok?" He asked nearly dropping the large Tv as he placed it down on their shared dresser.

"No Nick, everything is not ok! I'm stuck in this bed and I can't get comfortable." Jess whined. Her mood was becoming increasingly testy and agitated ever since she was put on bed rest. She had collapsed a few days earlier due to elevated blood pressure as a result of too much stress; which was mainly a result of having to deal with too many prepubescent teenagers and sexually charged teachers at work.

"I'm on my way to Schmidts'." He said as he gently pulled her up and began repositioning the mound of pillows around her.

"Ah Nick, you can't be serious!" She complained as she grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest. "I'm so bored... Why didn't you go earlier while I was napping?"

"Because Honey, I was taking the Tv off the wall mount, so you could watch it in here just like you asked me to." He huffed. "Besides, Cece called and said she found Ruth's old bassinet for lil' Reggie." Nick cooed as he reached out and rubbed Jess' belly.

Jess threw her arms up, pushing Nick's hand aside. "I'm coming with you. I'm so sick and tired of this bed and I need to see my friend."

"Oh, nonono... you're not going anywhere. Doctor's orders!" Nick stretched his arms out in an unsuccessful attempt to stop her from getting out of bed.

"I'm going with you and that's final!" Jess stated as she slid out of Nick's reach and grabbed his hoodie from the end of the bed. It was pretty much the only thing that would fit around her ever growing frame.

"And I've told you a hundred times Nicholas." Jess huffed as she threw Nick's sweater up over her head. "I am not naming our child after Reginald vel Johnson." She was almost 7 months along, but her patience with this pregnancy and Nick was beginning to wear very thin.

"Come on Jess, why don't you just get back in bed and I'll call Cece and tell her to come here instead." Nick pleaded as he watched her struggle to get her arms through his sweater.

"Alright! But you have to watch Dirty Dancing with me while we wait."

"Ok, fine." Nick reluctantly agreed as he began picking up the fallen pillows and placing them back on Jess' side of the bed. "But you will have to break the news to Schmidt, because as far as he's concerned, he owns the rights to our 1st born's name."

"Over my dead body." Jess scoffed as she tried to hop back up on the edge of the bed. "Ahh man."

"What is it Jess, is it the baby? Are you alright?" Nick asked anxiously.

"Now I have to pee." She grumbled as she slid off the bed and waddled past him towards the hallway.

"Listen, I don't care what we name this baby." Nick hollered as he followed her towards the bathroom.

Jess stopped in her tracks and whirled around. "What? You don't care!"

"Wait... I didn't mean... what I meant to say was that the most important thing is that you are both healthy. So just promise me that you will remain in bed and call me if you need anything."

"I promise Babe. But seriously you worry too much!" Jess giggled as she pulled Nick to her and gave him a peck on the lips. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to have some privacy."

"Sure Honey, whatever you need. But I'll wait out here, just incase. Doc-"

"Doctor's orders." She reiterated. "I know Nick, I was there, you don't have to keep reminding me." Jess laughed as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

"Ok, I'm just sayin', is all." He smiled and rolled his back against the closed door.

Jess shook her head as she glared into the mirror and looked down at her ever growing bump. She smiled as she recollected at how much they had achieved together in the past 3 years ever since that fateful day in the elevator when they had both reaffirmed their love for one another. And now, in just a few weeks time, they would be starting their own little family.

But she frowned at the memory of how close they were to never having all this.

She recalled how she had penned out all of her feelings on those little flash cards, just to try and gather enough courage to declare her unrequitted love to Nick. And how close she was to never actually having the chance to tell him, because she was so crushed when she heard him say that Pepperwood and Night would never get together. The heartbreak had actually led her to try and move on with her life, by moving out of the loft.

Luckily though, as fate would have it, or possibly some devine intervention, "The time of my life" came onto the radio while she was stuck in some fluke traffic as she was preparing to leave for good with all her worldly possessions. And in that moment, she just knew that the song was a sign that she had to try one more time to tell him how she truly felt. So she jumped out of the moving van and ran as fast as she could back to the loft. However she never would have believed that Nick would be the one to pour his soul out to her that day.

And their reunion wasn't like when they first had dated; It wasn't filled with hot lust and passionate urgency, what people in long term committed relationships would call the 'honeymoon phase'. Also it wasn't a declaration of love steered by sex, because they already knew that the sex was great, but it was something much deeper. He told her that he had an epithany, (thanks to Schmidt, just as she did, thanks to Sam), a revelation that what they both had been looking for, had actually been right in front of them all along.

She smiled to herself as she remembered how he shouted at the poor delivery guy to get out of his way, _"Oh come on, can you please go faster!? I gotta tell my best friend I'm in love with her."_ And how she felt completely overjoyed and in awe when she realized that they were both finally on the same page.

 _As the doors closed, Nick had turned to her and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it tenderly before holding it against his heart. "I can never stop loving you Jess."_

 _She rested her other hand against his cheek and looked deep into his eyes. 'You're my everything." she smiled._

 _"And... and I don't want to be with anyone else." He said._

 _"Nick." She had been at a loss for words. He gave her hand a little squeeze. 'You want me to say it!?' She finally asked a little louder._

 _"Yes, Jess, I want to hear you say it." he repeated louder than her._

 _"Fine. I love you." She shouted excitedly._

 _"Wait what?! I didn't quite hear that." He smirked._

 _"I love you! From the first moment we met, I fell in love with you Nick Miller." She breathed._

 _He quirked an eyebrow, "Seriously? 'cause I thought it wasn't until way later."_

 _"Shut up!" She said playfully as she batted at his chest._

 _"No you shut up." he countered as they stared at each other completely mesmerised by the fact that they both still felt the same way after all the time they had been apart._

 _"Just kiss me already, Miller!" she said breathlessly as she threw herself towards him; throwing all caution to the wind, causing her little cards to scatter all around them. And he did, but it wasn't hard and fast, it was passionate, breathtaking, and a huge relief; it was as though a heavy weight had finally been lifted off her chest._

"Are you alright in there Honey." Nick called from behind the door.

"Yeah babe." She shook her head at herself in the mirror. "Why don't you go hook up the TV and get Dirty Dancing loaded. I'll be out in a few minutes." She smiled.

"Um.. sure, anything for you Dear..."

"What was that?" Jess could hear Nick mumble something under his breath.

"Oh, nothing. I'll go get the movie started, just holler if you need me."

"Thanks Babe." She chuckled as she thought about how he really would do anything for her, even if it meant having to sit through another 90 minutes of Dirty Dancing for the zillionth time.


	2. A couple days later

"Jess, do we really have to watch this again?" Nick grunted as he lay in bed, with her curled up against his side; she was nuzzled into his chest while he lazily played with her pony tail.

She let out a muffled plea, "Please Nick, it's important to me that we watch it together today."

"Why is today, of all days, so important? We've watched it twice since you went on sick leave and a million times before that." The irritation in his voice was clearly evident.

"Because Nick, it's just important, that's all." Jess pouted.

"Ok, that's it. We're getting up." Nick stated as he swung his legs up and jumped out of bed, startling their poor dog who had been laying at the foot of the bed.

Jess glared at him, "Come here Mario, Daddy's a meanie."

"Sorry buddy." He apologized as the little dog curled up in a ball next to Jess.

"Come on Jess, get up. The doctor said that you no longer need to be on bed rest, so long as you don't over do it. So let's get out of here and go enjoy the day."

"You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what Jess? You're acting like a crazy person. Besides I thought Dirty Dancing was your break up movie. Now for some reason you want to watch it all the time."

"You really don't remember what today is?"

"Well I know it's not our anniversary, because that's in May. And unless you're thinking of getting a divorce, I don't think there is any reason to stay in bed all day and watch it again!"

"Nick, this movie means so much more than that, it's not just my break up film, it's full of memories of us." She uttered, tears beginning to well in her eyes. The hormones were clearly starting to get to her. "Don't you remember? Today was the day that you asked me to marry you."

"Oh Jess, I had no idea that was today." He admitted as he kneeled down next to the bed where she was lying.

It had taken a year before he finally asked her to marry him. He would have asked sooner, but he could never find the perfect moment. It was only when business at the bar picked up, did he finally get the courage to ask her. In fact, the bar was so popular, that Nick and Schmidt were actually thinking of opening up a second location; but in the end they had decided against it, because they were both too busy with their other careers.

"But I swear, I could never forget that day, because that was the day that my life changed forever." He smiled as he swiped a tear from her cheek.

"It really was perfect." She smiled back, running her hand through his hair as she recalled the memory of that night.

 _Nick had taken her to dinner at Beso's' that night as an excuse to celebrate. But in reality, it ended up being a perfect way to set the mood for his proposal, and luckily Russell wasn't there to ruin it like the first time he had taken her there._

 _After dinner, they went for a walk through the local park and it just so happened that Dirty Dancing was also playing that evening. As it turned out, Nick had actually set the whole thing up and they made it just in time as "I've had the time of my life" started playing._

 _That's when he turned to her and said, "Jessica you are a beautiful woman and it would mean the world to me if you would be my wife." He then got down on one knee, let out a breath and presented her with his grandmother's wedding ring. "Will you marry me?"_

 _Apparently he had had it since his father's funeral, when his mother had given it to him and made him promise that he would save it for when the time was right. Bonnie later told her on their wedding day that she always knew Jess would be the one to take care of her son._

 _And she had been so excited when he finally asked her to marry him, that she knocked him over and nearly messed his back up again, just like the time when she tackled him during a friendly game of touch football. She also happened to startle a young couple who were making out behind a bush, as she shouted 'yes' a half dozen times into Nick's ear._

"You have no idea how many failed attempts I made before I finally asked you to marry me. It was only when I managed to convince that sleazy park manager to play Dirty Dancing, that I knew I had found the perfect place to ask you."

She laughed. "You always see the worst in people Nicholas."

"That's because people are the worst, Jessica!" Nick scowled at the memory as he stood up.

"He was a harmless old man." Jess asserted.

"Don't try and tell me that he didn't feel you up when he came over to congratulate us afterwards."

Jess rolled her eyes, "Nick, you're exaggerating. He barely even touched me."

"OK, whatever you say." He teased, raising his eyebrows high. "But seriously Jess, as much as I love you and that day, I cannot sit through another hour and half of this movie. So come on get up." He said as he held his hands out towards her.

"Alright, alright, I'm up, I'm up. Besides it will be good for lil' Reg and I to get some fresh air and stretch our legs." Jess puffed as she tried to push herself upright.

"Lil' Reg, huh?" Nick quipped with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah. Reggie Walter Miller has a nice ring to it, don't ya think? Almost sounds like a baseball star." She smiled knowingly.

"Good Ol' Reggie Miller." He nodded in agreement with a lop-sided smile. "I like it Jess."

"But if we have a girl, there will be hell on earth before I name her Reginald. It's bad enough my middle name is Christopher, so don't even go there." She glared, waving her teacher finger at him.

"Alright, it's a deal." He agreed. "And I'll tell you what, how about I check the local listings and see if they have any movies playing in the park tonight. We could make it our annual tradition with Mario and lil' Reggie here, to go see a film together. And this way we can watch something new, but still enjoy our perfect day as a family."

"Come here Miller..." She lightly tugged him down and gave him a chaste kiss. "This is why I love you. You always know just what to say to cheer me up."

"That's my job as a writer and husband, Mrs. Miller." He smiled as he lingered against her lips kissing her back deeply and with more fervour.

They may just not make it out of bed after all, but that would be ok, because the day would still be perfect.


	3. Around six weeks later

"I have nothing to wear!" Jess whined as she plopped down onto the mound of clothes which she had strewn across the nursery floor. She was trying to find something to wear for their 1st anniversary dinner, but at 8 and half months along, nothing fit quite right anymore.

"What's wrong Jess?" Nick called to her from the living room.

"Nothing fits Nick!" Jess hollered back.

"What about that?" Nick asked as he walked into her old bedroom; which was currently being remodelled for the baby.

"What?" Jess asked confused.

"That black dress, right there." He was pointing to the little black number hanging up in the corner of the closet.

"Nick, I borrowed that from Cece years ago. I doubt it would even fit her anymore." She answered clearly frustrated.

Nick threw his hands up, turning to leave the room to get himself ready, "Ok, well just pick something, otherwise we're going to be late and Beso's won't hold our table."

"Can we just skip our anniversary this year?" She begged. "Nothing fits me anymore and I feel like a blimp." She complained as tears began rolling down her cheek.

Nick returned to the room and knelt down beside her. "Oh honey, don't cry. You always look beautiful no matter what you're wearing."

"You're just saying that." Jess sniffed.

"Nono it's true." He insisted. " You have never been more beautiful and sexy, Jessica. I mean, you always are, but now you are even more so, because you are carrying our child."

"I don't feel sexy and beautiful Nick. I feel bloated and gassy. And I'm in no mood to go to some fancy hoity toity restaurant for the next 3 hours. Can't we just do this next year?"

"You're ok if we dont go?" He raised his brows.

Jess nodded.

"Because I'm perfectly fine with staying home tonight. There's actually a Cubs game on and..."

"Hey, I didn't say I wanted to spend our anniversary watching baseball." Jess playfully slapped him on the chest.

"Ok, ok jeez... I'll just watch it, when you go to bed." He teased. "But if you're 100% sure, I'll cancel our reservations. Besides you know how I feel about fancy forks."

Jess laughed.

"But Jessica, you gotta promise me that you won't hold this against me tomorrow?"

Jess crossed her fingers over her heart, "I promise."

"Alright give me 30 minutes and come up to the roof. And put this on." He said excitedly as he tossed his red plaid shirt at her before running out of the room.

 _2 years ago to the day..._

 _The wedding was doomed before it even began, all due to the superstitious curse they laid upon themselves by sleeping together the night before saying their I do's. But Jess couldn't help herself; Nick had dangled his hot bod in front of her all night long, so she seduced him back to her bridal chambers to have her way with him. But sure enough the next day ended up being completely jinxed and chaotic, which was odd because they had only invited 30 guests._

 _Actually everything had been pretty crazy once they were engaged. Nick's publicist had set up a 4 month European book tour, so Jess had suggested they elope beforehand, but Nick knew she had always dreamed of a traditional wedding. He ended up convincing her to have an intimate wedding on the roof top, one where they could invite their closest family and friends._

 _Turned out that 30 of those close friends and family would overrun their 'not so tiny' loft and her makeshift bridal suite, while the caterers were running back and forth from the loft to the roof as they prepared food in their tiny kitchen. Then as luck would have it, Cece's stylist called to say she was stuck in traffic; so Jess didn't have anyone to help her get ready, which led to her to getting high as trash after she scratched her cornea during a shower accident._

 _And among the midst of the chaos happening in the loft: a bird deuced on Nick's shoulder, Russell professed his love to Jess, which led to Nick breaking his hand in a cowardly duel for Jess' hand in marriage and then Aly went into labour._

 _As they sat in the hospital waiting room, they reminisced about the past 8 years as friends, as a couple, then exes and then as partners again._

 _"You know what, screw the curse. I know that everything will be ok, as long as you're beside me Jess." Nick stated as he played with his cast._

 _Jess reached out and gently caressed his broken hand. "I don't care about the past or the future, all I care about is what I have right now, right here, you and me."_

 _Nick smiled and turned to Jess, "Jess do you want to have the weirdest wedding?"_

 _"With you Miller, yes, yes I do."_

 _"Then let's do this. You and me!" He said excitedly._

 _Luckily a rabbi was available at the hospital that evening and Schmidt took it upon himself to convince him to marry "the 2 least Jewish people he knows" (Schmidt's words) under a bouquet of get well balloons. Jess' parents walked her down the corridor and Nick's mom stood proud to the side of her son with both best men._

 _They hadn't written their vows, but when they were asked by the rabbi, they spoke from the heart._

 _Jess smiled as he took her hand. "Jessica, you've got this giant heart, that is both compass and part flashlight. And... You are just the greatest person I have ever met. I just want to have a weird wonderful life together. I want to marry you and I want to take care of you." Nick stated as he beamed at his bride. "Jess, I love you and I will love you for the rest of my life."_

 _"Nick, I want to spend the rest of my life with you." she said as she wiped a tear from her good eye. "And I want to raise Mario with you, and have babies, and eat good food, and laugh and take care of each other, and I want it to start tonight. It's you and me. It's always been you and me."_

 _The rabbi simply closed the ceremony with their final I do's and pronounced them husband and wife. Nick took her into his arms and kissed her passionately in front of their closest family and friends._

 _They had finally done it, they had finally braved the shark infested waters and faced all their insecurities together and now they could move forward as one. It didn't matter that their day wasn't perfect, because they never were perfect as individuals, but together they were a force to be reckoned with and no one could deny that they were made for eachother. And they both knew that this time was forever and that no silly curses or inhibitions would get in their way ever again._

"Hey Nick, are you up here?" Jess panted as she opened the door to the roof.

"Yeah Jess" he answered as he stepped out from behind a makeshift tent adorned with twinkling white Christmas lights. Inside he had set up a table and chairs, with what looked like a platter of hop foo take out.

"Oh Nick, it's perfect!"

"You really like it Jess? I wanted tonight to be special for us."

Jess tottered over to the table, then leaned over. "I love it Nick." Letting out a strangled breath, "but my water just broke."

Nick's eyes went wide, "What? you mean... You're not due for at least another 2 weeks and I still have to paint the nursery."

"I know, but the baby's coming, whether we are ready or not." She cried as she crouched down next to the table.

"Alright... let's go Jess. Let's have a baby." A strange calm over came him, as he lifted her up by her arms and practically carried her down the stairwell. And once in the car he safely drove them to the hospital where a few hours later Jess would give birth to their new bundle of joy.


	4. A couple years later

"Aurora Cecelia Miller, get back over here and eat your dinner!" Jess hollered from the kitchen table.

"Jess, she's only two." Nick scolded as the little girl bounded towards him and shoved her head into his side.

"What am I supposed to do!? She won't eat anything." Jess whined. Presently she was 6 days late with their second child and they were in the midst of packing after they had finally finalised their first home purchase.

"Daddy, Mama yelled at me." The little girl cried.

Nick rubbed her head and peered down at her face. "I know sweetheart. But mama made this beautiful meal and she just wants you to try a little bit of it. Do you think you could try some?"

"Umm... ok." the little girl nodded.

"Thatta girl!" Nick smiled as he picked her up and put her back in her seat.

"What the H-E double hockey sticks." Jess exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air and stood up to wash her own half eaten plate.

"Common Jess, don't be like that." Nick said as he came to join her by the sink and took the plate from her hand. "Rory doesn't know any better."

"You're right. Just... it's not easy being at home all day chasing around a toddler, especially when I'm 9 months pregnant."

Nick wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his nose into her neck, "Everything is going to be alright, honey. You just need to relax."

"I can't help it Nick. We still have tons of packing to do and I'm so tired all the time." She breathed as she rubbed her belly, "I just want this pregnancy to be over with."

"How about I clean up and get Rory ready for bed, and you go take a bath."

"You would do that for me?" Jess asked as she turned around, her big belly slightly pushing him out of his reach.

"You think you'd know by now that I'd do anything for ya, Jess."

Jess nodded in agreement. "I know."

"I still can't believe that in a few days time, we are going to be parents to not one, but two children." Nick stated.

 _It was nearly 3 years ago when Jess had told him that she was pregnant with Rory. She had been so nervous to tell him, because he was so busy with the bar and his book tours._

 _They had just returned from their honeymoon, aka Nick's European book tour, when she had an inkling. She had been feeling lethargic for a number of days, and at first she had attributed it to jetlag; but she just knew once she ate 2 chicken pitas piled sky high with tzatziki along with homefries and a large greek salad, that she was pregnant._

 _She immediately went out to buy a few pregnancy tests, but it was still too early to register on the stick. A week went by and finally a pink line appeared._

 _She had been too nervous to tell Nick, so she waited until that night, while he was working at the bar to tell him that he was going to be a Father. She figured if she told him in public, that he would be less inclined to freak out. But he pleasantly surprised her, when he publicly annouced that he was going to be a Dad and that a round of drinks for all his patrons were on the house. It had turned out that Jess was the one who was more insecure with becoming a Mom._

"What if she resents me, Nick?" Jess worried her lip as she looked over his shoulder at their daughter.

In the final weeks of her second pregnancy she was feeling sad. It was a strange time, because she was eager to meet the new little being who kicked and wriggled in her enormous tummy, but she was conscious that her one on one time with Rory, was soon coming to an end. Jess had held her closer and wanted to enjoy every last moment, because soon things would change. She also worried for her new baby, because she couldn't imagine how she could ever love anyone as much as she loved Aurora.

"She's not going to resent you Jess. Everything will work out, you'll see. And I know, because I'm an older brother, and Jaime and I are fine." He assured. "Now go take your bath and when I'm done here, I'll come get you ready for bed." He winked as he leaned in and seductively pecked her lips.

"Oh really Mr. Miller. Are you going to give me your red light special."

"You know it." He winked again, but this time he had a confused look.

"Ok, well I'll hold you too it. You've got me all twirly now and just maybe a little somethin', somethin' might help get this labour started." She giggle laughed as she swayed her hips and backed away from the counter, stopping to kiss Rory on the head before making her way to the bathroom. He always seemed to manage to say the right thing to help get her confidence back and she knew everything would be ok.


	5. A few moments later

As Nick got Rory ready for bed, Jess sat on the bench next to the tub running her fingers through the warm water as it filled up.

 _It had been their second wedding anniversary, which also happened to be Rory's 1st birthday, when they had received an eviction notice and had been forced to find a new place to live. They had actually found a beautiful two bedroom appartment with a cozy reading nook that wasn't too far from her school. She wasn't really thrilled with having to move, so they gathered the gang for one last game of true American, the packing version, to try and make peace with it._

 _But just as they had finished packing up the moving truck and were ready to leave, Jess received a visit from their landlord's attourney. Sadly Remy had passed away from a stroke a few days earlier, but his final wish was to leave his estate to "the pretty girl who reminded him of his ex wife in 4D". And that's when it was revealed that the eviction notices had actually been an over the top prank by yours truly, Engram Pattersky, aka Winston Bishop._

 _Winston thought that it would be best for them to get on with their lives and move from the loft, but Jess and Nick weren't really ready to make their peace with it. So as the new owners, (and a jab at Winston, who didn't have a tub of his own), Jess convinced Nick to renovate the bathroom to get rid of the boys dorm style toilet stall and urinal. Which he actually ended up doing on his own, because he didn't think he should have to pay a professional for something he could do himself._

 _Jess was ok with it, so long as he promised to actually fancy fix the bathroom, and not just do it on the cheap with his ingenious quick fixes. And he did as he promised, and even went beyond by surprising her with a beautiful claw footed tub._

Nick knocked lightly on the door. "Hey Jess, Rory just nodded off. Do you need anything?"

'It really would be a shame to leave this beautiful tub behind. Do you think we could take it with us?" Jess asked as he opened the door."

He laughed, "I doubt we could do that Jess, the new tenants wouldn't be too happy about it."

"Ah why not, we own this place, we can do what we want." She said as she stood up and lowered her robe.

"Maybe we can get a similar one for our new place." He smiled in awe at her beautiful figure as he reached out to help her step into the tub.

"Okay, that would be nice." She sighed as she lowered herself down and stretched out into the soothing water.

"Here let me help you." He offered as she reached for the shampoo bottle.

'Awe thanks babe."

"You're beautiful Jess." Nick stated as he began lathering shampoo into her hair.

She smiled and began to nod off, as his fingers worked their magic.

 _Nick was unusually calm, though he later admitted that he was secretly panicking on the inside. He drove as fast as he could to the nearest hospital, which really wasn't that fast at all, given the amount of traffic in LA. The contractions were fast and furious and Jess had been totally convinced that she was going to give birth in the car. But they made it with still some time to spare to fill out insurance forms and wait for someone to show them to the birthing room._

 _Her wonderful midwife arrived and she had made helpful suggestions and got the bath organised. Jess clambered in and lay at the bottom waiting for the water to cover her. She tried a little gas and Nick put on some music and soothed her complaints, while her midwife reassured her, saying, "You're where you want to be."_

 _Jess exchanged a look with Nick and they had the same thought; she wasn't where she wanted to be at all ... she'd rather be on a beach in Mexico, soaking up the sun, sipping a cocktail ..._

 _But her midwife was right. She was where she wanted to be._

 _So she concentrated on the music and allowed the gas to do it's job. And when she felt the urge to push, the midwife shrugged and smiled and said, "So push."_

 _And moments later their baby arrived, out of the water and onto her chest. Those beautiful little eyes still closed, little lips like rose buds._

 _The baby didn't cry very much - a little whimper, and then back to sleep. Nick took a photo and kissed Jess' head, "She's here." He choked as he tried to hold back the tears that were already very apparent._

 _They named her Aurora, because it meant Dawn, or in their case a rebirth of their 'love' and, oh, she was their love!_

"Ummm.. Nick. I THINK MY WATER JUST BROKE." Jess yelped.


	6. An hour later

"That's it Jess, push." Nick coached from the side of the tub.

"I don't want to do this, Nick." She yelled as she dug her nails into his arms.

"Ow" he yelped, pulling away from her.

"Don't even Nicholas!" She barked as she gripped the edge of the bathtub.

"Alright, alright.. give me your hands." He said anxiously.

"No, get behind me. I need you to rub my back." She demanded as she turned around on all fours. Her lower back pain was excruciating.

"You are doing so well."

"I need drugs." She implored as another intense contraction began.

"Just breathe through it." He urged as he began mimicking the breathing technique they had learned.

"I really can't do this." She cried.

"Yes you can honey. You've done it before." He encouraged as he pressed on her lower back. He was grateful that Jess had forced him to retake the birthing classes with her.

"The midwife isn't here yet." She declared.

"She's on her way and I've called an ambulance." He reassured.

Nick appeared to be much more confident this time around, but secretly he was worried. Jess' contractions had come on so hard and fast that he couldn't get her out of the bath in time, so they decided to remain where they were and just let nature takes it's course. Who would have guessed that a little relaxation was all she needed to get things moving along.

Over the past few weeks, she had drank raspberry leaf tea as if her life depended on it and spent a lot of time bouncing on a fit ball, albeit ungraciously. She had curry every night for a week and went for acupuncture. And even if they were tired after a long day, her and Nick would have sex, and lots of it, just to try to get her contractions going.

She had also reread her birthing books, attended birth classes and talked about her birth plan ... a lot ... to pretty much anyone who would listen willingly (and one in particular who had no choice).

She was ready for this pregnancy to be over, and finally in a few minutes it would be.

"Nick!" Jess screamed.

"You've got this honey. I can feel the head." He said as he reached below the water. "Just do what your body tells you." Nick had heard enough from Jess the last few weeks to know what to expect.

Jess pushed again and this time the baby's head made it's way out. Nick grabbed the baby's shoulders and encouraged her again. "One more push honey and it will be all over."

And with one final push, the baby slid out beneath the water into Nick's waiting hands. He pulled the little bundle up out of the water and revealed a baby boy.

"He's here." Nick squealed.

Jess laid back and he placed the baby onto her chest, "Oh my god!" She cried, "Welcome to the world Reginald Walter Miller."

Nick beamed with pride as he kissed his wife. "He's perfect Jess."

A few moments passed before they were surrounded by paramedics, who checked them out and gave them the all clear. And shortly after that Cece, Schmidt, Winston and Aly all arrived.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle over Reggie's name, so Jess suggested that Nick should try flipping a large pancake again to settle the score. She basically threatened him "Do it right this time, or so help me...", but the pressure was too much and Nick ended up dropping the pancake. So Lil' Reggie's official name ended up being 'Reginald vel Johnson Walter Miller'.

But it really didn't matter, because after all the chaos had died and everyone had left, they spent it alone together in their own bed with their new baby boy and their daughter Rory, who was in awe over her new little brother.


	7. Epilogue: A few Decades Later

Winston sat quietly perched in his rocking chair, sipping a hot tea and attempting to finish a puzzle.

"You ok there Winston?" Jess asked sweetly as she sat down next to Nick on their porch swing.

Life had gotten busy and they ended up raising Rory and Reggie in a 3 bedroom home in the predomently upper middle class LA neighbourhood, Wilshire. It was only once their children had grown and moved out on their own, did they decide that they needed to relocate to somewhere a little slower paced. So when Jess had reached retirement, Nick sold his bar and ended up buying a small bungalow with a large porch by the lake in Portland, which he surprised Jess with on her 65th birthday; he told her it was the ideal spot for them to enjoy the sunset each evening and he wasn't wrong.

An added bonus was that Rory had also moved to Portland to be closer to her parents. She was expecting her second little girl in a few short months and her other daughter Josie was the apple of Nick's eye. Reggie was newly engaged and still living in LA, but he was a renowned photographer and was currently globetrotting. He barely had time to visit, but he was still very close to his parents.

"Am I losing my mind guys?" Winston asked. "Because sometimes I touch the end of a frayed power cord just to feel something."

Jess shot Nick a look of concern.

"He's fine Jess. I swear. He's always done that." Nick tried to put her mind at ease, but he was a little worried himself.

Winston's wife Aly had passed away 6 months prior and his 6 children were all grown and scattered across the country. But he had become increasingly unhinged with age, even more so since his wife's passing and their children had made the decision to put him in a home, but Nick wouldn't have it. So shortly after Aly's departure, Winston moved in with Jess and Nick.

"If you say so. But Winston, let's not play with the power cords." Jess pleaded, but Winston was back to his puzzle and was no longer paying attention.

"I promise, I'll take care of him Jess." Nick vowed as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

"I know, I just worry."

"Danbill is only 2 hours away. He said he will visit regularly and take him for the holidays. And Schmidt and Cece both promised to help."

Cece had actually convinced Schmidt to move to Portland as well, after all she was originally from there and it made sense, since they were all still very close friends. Naturally Aly and Winston followed, because really that was his only family on the west coast, besides their oldest son Danbill.

"I always pictured us like this anyways. You, me and Winston... it just feels right." She confirmed.

"It really does... I couldn't picture it any other way." Nick thought out loud. "Hey Jess..."

"Yeah."

"I've had the time of my life with you." He said as he pulled her in close and kissed her hair.

"Me too babe, me too." She smiled.

Their life hadn't been perfect, they had experienced their ups and downs over the years, but she never could have imagined it without him by her side; And Winston of course.


End file.
